Didn’t I say something about making this blog a daily thing? Yeaaaaaah,…..

ANYWAY

A lot is happening at the moment so there’s a lot to say.

First up, I’ve been contracted to be the official Bentham Storyteller at the “Bentham Carnival” for the second year in a row! I had tremendous fun at the last Carnival (read about it here) and am expecting to enjoy this year’s just as much!

The title for the storytelling is “Rain or Shine – Umbrella Tales”. I’ll be performing 4 stories through the day. Just like last year, I’ll be writing them in advance. Come along to High Bentham on Saturday the 4th of June and enjoy!

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There’s a good chance that I’ll be returning to my role as DCI Clueless in “Clueless and Wuffles: The Case of the Missing Jewels” a little later in the year. Situation still developing on that…

“This,…” Becky’s Mother stroked a finger over the young girl’s palm. “Is your life line.” She smiled, her blue eyes fixing on her Daughter’s. Becky giggled, pulling her hand away.

“Tickles, Mummy!”

Mother and Daughter laughed together, their summer hats flapping gently in the breeze. Below them, the surf crashed against the legs of the pier. Gulls soared above, calling a lament as they swept out to sea.

Today’s one word title was suggested by the lovely Becky Danks – avid bookworm and reviewer. You can find her on Twitter at @BeckyD123.

Keep your one word titles coming in – I can’t do it without you! Pop your suggestion in the comments section below or tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory. Go on, what’s stopping you?

(c) Tim Austin 2016. This probably didn’t happen. I mean they wouldn’t. Would they? Fictitious. All of it. Honest, guv. It’s even fictitious people. (Also goes without saying: no infringement intended – all in the spirit of fun!) Promo image Courtesy of NASA via Unsplash.

Today’s one word title was kindly donated by the TV legend that is Mr. Danny John-Jules: Cat in Sci-fi comedy “Red Dwarf”, jammy fella who flies to a sunny island every year to film “Death in Paradise” and (my personal favourite) Barrington in “Maid Marian and Her Merry Men”.

Thank you Danny 🙂

This project is my attempt to write a whole new short story every day for a year, based on single donated words. Take a look at some of the other stories written so far – you’ll find a list on the “Pre-Loved Words” page and in the sidebar to the left. If you’ve enjoyed this story hit it up on your Social Media feeds and let your friends know!

If you want to suggest a word, please do – you’re very welcome to. Tweet it to me @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory and I’ll write a story based on that word (more info on the “Introducing” page, above).

There’s a new 100 word story every morning: hit the follow button (below to the right) and “Like” the OWOS Facebook page – it’ll really help me out and you’ll never miss a story.

Stephen pressed ten fingers to the glass, his breath frosting a small circle as his face sank ever closer. Someone was talking to him. A nurse, he thought. He didn’t care.

For so much of his life he’d drifted: aimless in his passage from one job to the next. One failed relationship followed another – a ship without power or purpose, blown on the wind. Finally life mattered. Beyond the glass she lay: swaddled in an incubator, tiny and useless.

“She will need constant care for the rest of her life.”

He didn’t know why the nurse looked so sad. To Stephen, his daughter was perfect.

Mr. Funaki pinched his fingers so softly together, his wrist turning, the violin singing a long, fragile note that rang through the auditorium. His heart soared with every trill. His breath sighed and twisted at every gleaming, crystal-sharp echo that swept through his chest and swam high against the rafters. The instrument was perfect: its dance so delicate that the tiniest fracture would form in his mind and shine like the sun.

Tears stung his eyes as they flicked open, gazing at the silent instrument in its case. He lay his swollen, arthritic hands to his lap,… the memory fading away.

Danny slammed his foot to the wall, the sole of his shoe scraping the surface into dust as he leapt across the overpass and fell.

His hands struck out, clutching a metal railing: his chest crashed against the concrete wall with a cracking thud. Breathless, he hung there, his eyes closed as he felt only air beneath his feet. Behind him he could hear the jeers and laughter of the Hammond boys, watching from the balcony of the tower block. They wanted him to fall.

A big thank you to award winning and best selling author Jonathan Maberry for suggesting the title of today’s story. Jonathan has done it all: novel writer, editor and comic book writer for both Marvel and Dark Horse,… he’s also a Doctor Who fan, which really puts him in my good books!

If you have a one word title you’d like me to turn into a story, tweet me @timaustin2k using the hashtag #onewordonestory. Don’t forget to follow the blog and like the OWOS Facebook page by clicking here.

Read more stories on the site – there are 27 more! Enjoy and share the stories about and I’ll see you tomorrow for “Violin”.